The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for processing and/or manipulating digital image data of an image prior to printing of the image.
It is well known that images captured in digital format may be manipulated and later printed by a variety of digital devices, for example, but not by way of limitation, thermal printers, laser printers, LED printers, as is currently used or may be developed. Many of these devices are directed to relatively low speed and/or resolution outputs, thus allowing the computer to have sufficient time to manipulate the image. However, quite often because of the amount of information needed to store the image and do the appropriate manipulation, a substantial amount of memory is required for processing of the image. This, of course, can add substantial cost to the device. In addition, this additional memory takes up valuable space. Furthermore, most methods of manipulating images prior to printing are directed to low speed/resolution output printers, or higher speed/resolution output printers. There is no common architecture for manipulating an image for a variety of different throughput-type printers. Thus, every time a new product comes out, there is required a new architecture for image manipulation. Furthermore, it is quite difficult to support real time image data processing for images that can keep up with the speed of even a moderate size printer.
Additionally, prior art devices have been dependent upon the size of the image in that only certain size images can be handled for processing and manipulation and sent to the printer.
The present invention solves many of the foregoing problems by providing a device which can be scaled up or down to either increase or decrease the amount of images or throughput without substantial cost, redesign or fabrication, and which can be easily expanded for increased or faster output. In addition, the present invention is not limited to a particular size image. It can be used to manipulate any size image and do so in real time, such that the printer can be printing the image as quickly as it is being completed.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of processing digital image data of an image, comprising the steps of:
a) obtaining a digital record of an image;
b) segmenting the digital record into a plurality of image segments;
c) distributing the image segments to at least two image processing units;
d) manipulating each of the image segments of the digital record using the at least two image processing units; and
e) recombining the image regions of each of the image segments for reformation of the image.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for manipulated digital image data, comprising a central processing unit for managing a digital image record for at least one image, at least two image processing units in communication with the central processing unit, segmenting the digital record into a plurality of image segments and forwarding the image segment to the at least two image processing units, each of the image segments having an image region and an overlapping region with respect to adjacent segments, the at least two image processing units manipulating the image segments, the print engine interface unit obtaining information from the central processing unit such that appropriate digital data may be obtained from the at least two image processing units for combining of the image using the image region of each of the image segments and for forwarding the recombined image to a printing device.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of processing digital image data of an image, comprising the steps of:
a) obtaining a digital record of an image;
b) segmenting the digital record into a plurality of image segments, each of the plurality image segments comprising an image region and an overlapping region with respect to adjacent image segments;
c) distributing the image segments to at least two image processing units;
d) manipulating each of the image segments of the digital record by the at least two image processing units; and
e) recombining the image regions of each of the image segments for reformation of the image.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for manipulated digital image data, comprising a central processing unit for managing a digital record for at least one image, at least two image processing units in communication with the central processing unit, and a print engine interface unit in communication with the central processing unit, the central processing unit segmenting the digital record into a plurality of image segments for forwarding on to the at least two image processing units, each of the plurality of image segments comprising an image region and an overlapping region with respect to adjacent image segments, the at least two image processing units manipulate the image segments, the print engine interface unit obtaining information from the central processing unit such that appropriate digital data may be obtained from the at least two image processing unit, for recombining of the image using the regions of the plurality of image segments.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided A method of processing digital image data of an image in a photographic printer, comprising the steps of:
a) obtaining a digital record of an image;
b) segmenting the digital record into a plurality of image segments, each of the image segments having an image region and an overlapping region with respect to adjacent image segments;
c) distributing the image segments to at least two image processing units;
d) the at least two image processing units manipulating each of the image segments of the digital record; and
e) recombining the image regions of each of the image segments for reformation of the image.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided A digital printer for printing onto a photographic material, the printer comprising a central processing unit for managing a digital image record for at least one image, at least two image processing units in communication with the central processing unit, and a print engine interface unit in communication with the central processing unit, the central processing unit segmenting the digital record into a plurality of image segments and forwarding the image segments to the at least two image processing units, each of the image segments having an image region and an overlapping region with respect to adjacent segments, the at least two image processing units manipulating the image segments, the print engine interface unit obtaining information from the central processing unit such that appropriate digital data may be obtained from the at least two image processing units for recombining of the image using the image regions of the plurality of image segments and for forwarding the recombined image to a device.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided A method of processing digital image data of an image in a photographic printer, comprising the steps of:
a) obtaining a digital record of an image;
b) segmenting the digital record into a plurality of image segments, each of the plurality of image segments comprising an image region and an overlapping region;
c) distributing the image segments to at least two image processing units;
d) manipulating each of the image regions of the digital record by the at least two image processing units; and
e) recombining the image regions of each of the image segments for reformation of the image.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided A digital printer for printing onto a photographic material, comprising a central processing unit for managing a digital record for at least one image, at least two image processing units in communication with the central processing unit, and a print engine interface unit in communication with the central processing unit, the central processing unit segmenting the digital record into a plurality of image segments for forwarding on to the at least two image processing units, each of the plurality of the image segments having an image region and an overlapping region, the at least two image processing units manipulate the image segments, the print engine interface unit obtaining information from the central processing unit such that appropriate digital data may be obtained from the at least two image processing unit for combining of the image region of the plurality of image segments.
The above, and other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become more apparent from the accompanying detailed description thereof when considered in conjunction with the following drawings.